George Urban Jr. House - Table of Contents
George Urban Jr. House - Table of Contents
George Urban Junior
Source:
"A History of the City of Buffalo," published by the The Buffalo
Evening News, 1908 |
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Excerpt from the H. Seeberg Building application for listing on the State and National Registers of Historic Places, pp. 2-3 Opened with partner George Beyer, the grocery shop of Beyer and Urban was located at the corner of Genesee at Oak Street as early as 1847, and in the 1850 census Henry Urban’s property was valued at $3,000 indicating his ownership of the building. In 1872 Henry Urban was noted as having both his shop and residence in the building at 123-125 Genesee Street. During the nineteenth century, the corner of Genesee and Oak was heavily occupied by the Urban family, including George Urban Sr.’s wholesale flour business located at the north-east corner (established in 1846) and later his son George Urban, Jr.’s Urban Roller Mills business was established in 1881 located at the north-west corner at 324 Oak Street. The Urban Roller Mills was the first mill in Buffalo to introduce the use of metal rollers in grain milling, with previous milling being done with large mill stones, and the Urban Milling Company became one of Buffalo’s most prominent companies. Henry Urban the elder may have died sometime before 1860, since his seven year old son, Henry J. Urban, appears residing at 111 Genesee Street in the house of grocer Louis. P. Adolf in the 1860 census. Henry J. Urban continued the family legacy in the grocery business, operating his own store from the building at 123-125 Genesee Street (perhaps an inheritance from his father) from about 1878 until at least 1902. Henry J. Urban not only ran the grocery store and resided in the building, but for a short time around 1880-81, he also operated a saloon from the building at 123 Genesee Street. |
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The following text is a reprint of "A History of the City of Buffalo," pub. by The Buffalo Evening News, 1908 George
Urban Junior, one of the leading factors in the business
life of Buffalo and Western New York, was born in this city July
12, 1850, the son of George Urban, a native of Alsace, France,
who settled in Buffalo in 1835 and a number of years later
entered the wholesale flour business. The younger Urban received his education at the Buffalo public schools, and at the age of sixteen year entered the employ of his father. Four years later, in 1870, he was admitted as a partner in the business, which then became known as Urban & Company. The original establishment, located at the corner of Genesee and Oak streets, was augmented in 1881 by the erection of the first roller flour mill in Buffalo, on a site opposite the store of the firm. Four years later the senior Urban retired from business life, and George Urban Junior became the head of the firm, having associated with him E.G.S. Miller and W.C. Urban, a brother of the senior member of the firm. The business is known under the name The George Urban Milling Company, turning out several well-known brands of flour, which are used in every part of the country. The immense new mill of the company, at Urban and Kehr streets, adjacent to the tracks of the New York Central Belt Line, was completed in 1903. This mill which is one of the best equipped and handsomest of its kind in the world today, was the first mill in Buffalo in which the motive power was exclusively electricity, brought here from Niagara Falls. Mr. Urban does not confine his attention entirely to the direction of his milling business, for he has found time to become prominently identified with various others of Buffalo's industrial and commercial institutions. He was
Politics Although he could never be influenced to take office, Mr. Urban has ever been prominent in the counsels of the Republican party in Buffalo and Western New York. He was chairman of the Erie County Republican General Committee from 1892 to 1895. In 1896 and 1900 Mr. Urban was a Republican presidential elector from Erie County, and in 1904 he was honored by the selection as Republican presidential elector at large from New York State. Mr. Urban is a member of the Buffalo Chamber of Commerce and the New York Produce Exchange. Social Clubs He is also a member of several of Buffalo's social organizations, including the Buffalo, Ellicott, Saturn, Country, and Park clubs of this city. His out-of-town affiliations include membership in the New York Club and the Republican Club of New York City, and the Whist Club of Rochester. Family Life In October, 1875, Mr. Urban married Ada E. Winspear, daughter of Pennock Winspear, of Cheektowaga. They have four children -- one son, George P. Urban; and three daughters, Emma M., Ada J., and Clara W. Urban. George P. Urban is secretary and treasurer of The George Urban Milling Comp
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Excerpts Cheektowaga’s
Historical Site – The Urban – Winspear Estate – Pine Ridge
Road
The
home on Pine Ridge Road known for years as the Urban House
located at 280 Pine Ridge Road is one of the last vestiges of
the stately historical home is in the Town of Cheektowaga. Five
generations of Winspears and Urbans lived at “Pine Hill”, Hill
Top” or “Urban Hill” Estate.
The
many generations of Urbans and Winspears were members of
numerous civic organizations, cultural groups and financial
organization. Members of these groups were invited to the
Hilltop Farm. The hospitality of the Urban Family was famous
throughout the area. Old-time residents of Pine Hill could
recall parades of carriages coming down Genesee Street to attend
parties. These affairs were not always formal, more often beer
parties and clambakes prevailed. Entertainment was often
furnished by a “human band”. Members imitated various
instruments with their hands and mouth. One of the young
musicians, Frank
X Schwab, later became Buffalo’s 48th Mayor.
It
was in 1882, on the Urban Farm that the campaign for Grover
Cleveland was launched.Over forty prominent politicians
and businessmen had gathered at Urban’s home, where Gerhard
Lang raised a toast to “Grover Cleveland, our next
President”. Grover Cleveland laughed at the time, but in 1884,
was elected President of the United States. EARLY YEARS On June 3 1852 Pennock Winspear married Emma Watts, who was born in Bungy, England on June 25, 1829. Pennock and Emma had two daughters, Ada born October23, 1853 and Clara born on March 13, 1856. The Urban Family would move to the Pine Hill Farm following the marriage of Ada Winspear and George Urban, Jr. on October 6, 1875.
George Sr. took a position as a clerk with Mr. H Colton, who had a
general merchandise business on the corner of Main and Genesee
Streets. He
worked there until 1846 until he found his own business on the
corner of
Genesee and Oak Streets with flour as a specialty. In 1882 the
firm of which he
was the senior member completed the first roller mill in the
city of Buffalo. On October 6, 1875 George Urban, Jr. married Ada Pennock Winspear and settled on the Pine Hill Farm. The family would continue to liver there until the 1950s.
George
Urban,
Jr. received his education in the public schools of Buffalo and
entered his
father’s business in 1868. In 1870 he became a full partner and
directed the
growth of the Urban Mills resulting in its incorporation in
1903. He then
became president. It was George Urban, Jr. who experimented with electricity and eventually a close personal relationship with Thomas Edison would evolve. This relationship may have been one of the reasons buffalo was the first major American city to use electricity as a means of lighting the city’s streets. On July 14, 1881 his company established the first municipal electric lighting plant in Buffalo with nine street lights. The Urbans commitment and community involvement also branched out into
the political arena. Although never holding a political office,
their influence
was well established in the community. George Urban, Jr., a
staunch Republican,
served as chairman of the Erie county Republican committee
between1892 and 1895
and treasurer for nine years. In 1884 he was a delegate to the
Republican
National convention and was a presidential elector in 1896 for
William McKinley
and in 1900 for Theodore Roosevelt. During the 1880s
a
surprising relationship between George Urban, Jr. and Grover
Cleveland, the
Democratic sheriff, mayor and governor fromBuffalo would
develop. It began
through mutual acquaintances in the flour milling business and
culminated when
George Urban, Jr. purchased land from Cleveland on what is now
Urban and Kehr
Streets, Buffalo New York. The Urbans built a small mill there
which eventually
became the family mill. Members of the group who gathered in
1882 at the Urban
Estate, to promote Grover Cleveland as President of the United
States would
become the nucleus of a strong committee to support Cleveland.
In 1883,
Cleveland came to Buffalo to make an address and was invited to
a picnic at the
Pine Ridge Road estate. It was there that Gerhard Lang raised a
glass and
toasted, “Here’s to Grover Cleveland, our next president.” George Urban, Jr. was involved with the Niagara Frontier for over five decades. He was a member of the Buffalo Chamber of Commerce, the New York Produce Exchange, Saturn Club, the Park Club, Ellicott Club, Buffalo Club, Buffalo Automobile Club, Buffalo Country club, New York club, Tuscarora Club of Lockport and the Batavia Club.
George
Urban,
Jr. and Ada Winspear the daughter of Pennock Winspear had four
children. The
eldest George Pennock was born May 29, 1877; Emma on August 5,
1879; Ada on
January 12, 1885 and Clara on October 12, 1886. They were all
born at the
Hilltop Farm
Ada
E.
Winspear Urban, who had been born at the Pine Hill Farm, was
also very active
in the community. She was a graduate of Central High School in
Buffalo and was
the winner of the first Jesse Ketchum gold medal presented by
this school. She
was a member of the Twentieth Century Club and for many years
was the manager
of the Home for the Friendless. Mrs. Urban died on December 31,
1919 and George
Urban, Jr. died on February 23, 1928.
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George Urban Reprinted from Cheektowaga
Historical Association and Museum
(Online June 2015)
George Urban Jr. was one of Cheektowaga's most prominent citizens. Born in Buffalo N.Y. July 12, 1850, the family lived at Genesee and Oak Streets. His father settled there in 1835 and had come from Alsace, France. Shortly after arrival George Urban Sr. started a milling company. George Urban Jr. attended Buffalo public schools and Shellys School for Boys until he was 16 years old. At that time he went to work for his father in the milling company. Four years later, when he was 20 years old , he was admitted as a partner in the milling business known as Urban & Co. Eleven years later George Urban Jr. was known throughout the country as the builder of the first roller mill in the U.S. The mill was located at Genesee and Oak Streets across from the company's original building. When George Urban Sr. retired, George Jr. became head of the firm associated with Edwin G.S. Miller and William C. Urban a younger brother. Under George Jr. the company flourished and in 1903 became known as George Urban Milling Company. The company built a new 5 story brick and steel mill on Urban and Kehr Streets and was one of the best equipped and finest of its kind in the world. It was the first mill in Buffalo to use power from Niagara Falls extensively. George Urban Jr. married Ada E. Winspear, daughter of Pennock Winspear in October 1875. They had four children, George P. Urban, Ada Jeanette, Emma and Clara. When George Urban built his family estate on Pine Ridge Road in Cheektowaga, he was surrounded by farm land. [MISLEADING. THE HOUSE ORIGINALLY BUILT BY HIS WIFE'S FAMILY in 1827. - Ed.] His property consisted of 8-9 acres. Besides a beautiful home, there was a grape vineyard, with 29 varieties of grapes and a 3/4 acre pond stocked with trout and gold fish. He was skilled in the knowledge of plants and his estate was filled with flowers and trees. There was Lilacs, Magnolia, 150 varieties of Roses including green roses brought from Bermuda, Pansies, a strawberry patch, ivy, oak, Lily of the Valley, ferns, and a hot house with lemon trees and flowers. At age 77 Mr. Urban had planted 5000 Elms on a 200 acre plot opposite the Pine Ridge estate. In the vegetable gardens were melons, potatoes, tomatoes, beans and the first bantam corn in Buffalo. The estate also raised approximately 800 chicks yearly. The modern poultry houses were equipped with electric lights. Business and Politics When Mr. Urban became interested in electricity, he visited Thomas Edison. As a result of this visit, George Urban bought an electric generator for for his flour mill. It was one of the first ten generators made by Edison. He later gave it to the Buffalo General Electric Co. which he was vice president of, as an historic object. After electricity was made available at Niagara Falls, George Urban attended a conference on how to bring electricity to Buffalo. Urban introduced the first incandescent light service in Buffalo on July 14, 1881. The experiment consisted of nine lamps on Ganson Street. George Urban was always a Republican. He was chairman of the Erie County Republican General committee from 1892-95 and in 1896 & 1900 was Presidential Elector from Erie County. In 1904 he was honored as Republican presidential elector from New York State. Among his friends were Presidents Cleveland, McKinley and Harrison. Although President Cleveland was a Democrat, George Urban supported and worked on his campaigns for president, which helped the former Erie County Sheriff get elected twice. George Urban was a strong supporter of the Pan American Exposition held in Buffalo in 1901. He met with Buffalo Mayor Conrad Diehl and others in planning this event. Besides being CEO of George Urban Milling, George Urban was;
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Urban Company photo: Historic American Buildings Survey/Historic American Engineering Record |
"Buffalo Historical Society Publications," Volume 30, 1930 George
Urban, Jr. died at his
residence, Pine Ridge, Cheektowaga (See
below) after
an illness of three weeks, aged 77 years, on Feb. 23, 1928. He
was financier, capitalist, merchant and pioneer in hydroelectric
development, and one of the most prominent men of the Niagara
frontier.
He was one of the supporters of Grover Cleveland for the honors of Governor and President, and also one of the promoters of the Pan-American Exposition. His father, George Urban, Sr. was a native of Alsace, France, and migrated to Buffalo in 1835. George Urban, Jr. was the builder of the first roller mill in the United States. He was one of the organizers and directors of the Brush Electric company which installed the first municipal lighting plant in Buffalo. For 25 years he was the head of the George Urban Milling company, having one of the best equipped flour mills in the country. He was a director in several banks and other financial institutions. He was a Republican presidential elector in 1896, 1900 and 1904.
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Pine Hill Farm 280 Pine Ridge Road, Cheektowaga, NY  Reproduction from the 1880 Erie County Atlas In 1875, George Urban Jr. married Ada Pennock-Winspear and settled on the Pine Hill Farm. |
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